When thinking about what criminology is, an individual needs to first consider what aspects and fields are affected by the criminal element. Some of these fields will also either perpetuate or deter crime, depending on how they are used. Anthropology, sociology, law, research positions and others all tie into criminology. Criminology could then be defined as how any of these many multitudes of society’s development and creation are able to affect how individuals interact, specifically when it comes to the degenerate element. Using science to approach the evolution of crime within an area or timeframe allows individuals to learn how an environment may respond to and otherwise affect crime. Certain things can be analyzed in order to come to a conclusion about crime and the criminal element within a particular area, such as any hereditary elements that may have had a factor or psychological issues that would have instigated the crime. In addition, many criminologists are also interested in studying how the punishment of criminals affects the likelihood of the same crimes being performed.
When people’s actions or movements deviate from the normal status of things in a way which is excessively harmful or dangerous to themselves or others, criminologists may become involved in the situation. By studying both crime and the law, an academic person can come up with possible motivations for an individual’s actions. These theoretical explanations are often helpful when profiling a person who has yet to be caught by the police, as well as when statistics are needed in order to illustrate a trend or issue for a community. However, it is not just crimes that are studied and analyzed by the criminologist. In addition, they also look at the criminal justice system on a whole in order to make sure that it is functioning in a sufficient manner that benefits the lives of citizens.
The definition of criminology is broad in order to encompass all of the different fields that fall under the term. However, by being more specific in the type of criminology that is being investigated, an individual is able to focus more on the individuals cornerstones of the different types of criminology that exist. For example, psychological criminology was a part of criminology for a long time but did not begin to be looked at on its own until the 20th century. This field looks at the abnormalities and mental diseases that may feed criminal behaviors. It is specialized in the way that proponents of this type of criminology believe that the personality of the individual is the breeding ground for the levels and types of crime that the individual will be capable of committing. Emotions and behavior patterns are often able to remain relatively stable and predictable regardless of what type of environment the individual is placed into, which helps academics to formulate the idea that this is what defines a person. Criminologists are able to look at crime and other related fields from different perspectives in order to analyze the cause and effect relationship of the crime, the individual and the environment in which they are immersed.
When it comes to understanding the theories behind connections between crimes and individuals or the community, many people may not realize that the beliefs that differentiate the theories are not as complex as they may seem at first. By simplifying the core of the theories, individuals are able to more properly understand the different theories that can help individuals to identify the theory that they most identify with when considering the interactions of crime and society. Once the foundation of the theories are understood, it is much easier to build upon the theory by including some of the more complex ideas supported by the theory. A number of theories exist, and many are being created daily on the part of individuals. However, there are a few theories that are more common and widely held as beliefs than other theories may be.
There are social structure theories, or those theories that the status and construction of the social setting will define the likelihood and amount of crime in the area. Individuals that are exposed to poverty and other signs of social deterioration are believed to be more prone to crimes and acts of violence. There are other specific social theories that believe crime is perpetuated by the inequality that exists within the social structure that is established. When people are unable to achieve that which society expects of them, such as the “American Dream”, these individuals turn to crime to try to realize this dream. Individual theories exist in order to explain criminology within a society. Trait theories are those based on scientific knowledge of the human body and how chemicals and genetic material will determine or alter how an individual responds to stimuli. Aggressive behavior and antisocial tendencies are just some of the many personality traits of individuals that are involved in crime, and the links to genetics, hormones and other biological factors are currently being studied.
Some theories stop looking at what encourages an individual to become corrupt, and instead focus on the effects of society to explain how and why some people are able to lead productive and admirable lives. These theories are commonly referred to as control or social control theories. In an example, it is illustrated that an individual that has a greater degree of self control will be able to wait patiently while attaining their dream or goal instead of using possibly degenerate means in order to gain immediate access to their desire. Symbolic interaction as a theory examines the relationship of the powerful, ruling class and those that are less powerful. By integrating themselves into the belief that they were less powerful, youths that were looked down on played up to the role designated to them. It represents a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts since the youths are taking the more powerful group at their word and transferring the definition onto themselves as criminals.
Of the last main theories that surround criminology, rational choice theory maintains that criminals weigh the pros and cons of an outcome just like anyone else. When the costs and benefits are dissected, the criminal will make a decision. They may also consider the time and place for the crime as well in order to find the situation with the lowest crime risk.
Criminology may sound, initially, like a very concentrated field; however, the truth is that there are a number of different elements that play into the genre of criminology. As a result, there are a number of different careers that an individual will be able to consider when they investigate the life and options of one who works in the field of criminology. For all the many job opportunities and career paths that exist for those who are interested in the field, the field can be slightly difficult to break into for a person. This is due in part to the fact that the inquiring person needs to be well-rounded when it comes to education, but also because the person does typically need a good amount of schooling in order to be considered as a qualified candidate for these types of jobs.
One of the most obvious careers that will typically pop into the minds of people who are thinking about crimes would be the profession of a police officer. This is a very well respected field and does not require as much training and schooling as some other fields might. Applicants will need to be tested in a number of ways prior to being offered a position, and in some more urban and populated areas there is a more desperate need for qualified police officers. As a result, there is slightly more competition than there may be in a small town that is looking to hire police officers.
A drug policy advisor needs to do many things depending on their field of concentration. Some of these advisors need to be able to look at trends and crimes over a period of time, and then weigh this information against the rest of the information that the individual has needed to research. In some cases, this can include the number of deaths as a result of the drug and the number of violent crimes that have taken place in an area involving the drug as an instigator in the crime. By looking at this information, and also at how much annually is spent on the drug for different demographics, a drug policy advisor can make some suggestions regarding the medication or drug. Sometimes there are no negative repercussions as a result of the drug, but in other cases policies need to be put in place in order to place restrictions for the good of the public and the welfare of citizens.
Other productive careers also include crime intelligence analysts, advocates on behalf of the consumer, private crime prevention leaders, and individuals that are working corrections. These many careers require different and specific levels of schooling before the individual candidate can be seen as qualified for the job. Cost of education varies depending on where an individual attends school in order to receive their education and how long they are required to their university.
Careers in Criminology are not just open within the United States for individuals, but are actually located in different areas around the world. Different laws are established by different governments, so not all individuals qualified to work in the field of Criminology within the United States could do so in other areas of the world. Still, individuals that are qualified in different areas can broaden their search options and range by looking at careers outside their geographic location
While criminology is the scientific study of the interactions that inherently occur between criminals and the public or the criminal elements and society, critical criminology is slightly different. This concept of criminology has a solid foundation in the belief that a singular crime is considered to be criminal due to the historical and social beliefs at the time. For example, one famous illustration of this is that homosexuality was considered to be illegal for individuals in the United Kingdom. This type of interaction between individuals was declared legal for men over 21, but this was not until 1967. Since there is nothing within the act that changed over the years, the only thing that changed was the judicial government at the time and what they believed was morally right or wrong. Overall, there is nothing deemed inherently wrong about the act itself. One of the main questions that individuals interested in critical criminology need to ask themselves whether or not an act is a crime because it is wrong or whether it is merely a crime because someone with the elected power decided to make it so.
Within critical criminology, there are a number of theories that have been formed. Conflict theories were never very popular within the United States, in part due to the fact that during the late 1970’s, when critical criminology was more popular, there were many criminology departments that were closed due to political reasons. Other critical criminologists were concerned that conflict theories did not properly address the different issues that faced society. Critics of conflict theories that exist in criminology maintain that these individuals ignored some important differences in the level of criminal activities between socialist and capitalist societies. Japan and Switzerland are two countries that are socialist in nature, but they have extremely low rates of crime in their countries, as compared to capitalist societies like the United States of America.
In feminist theories, individuals attempt to give another dimension to criminology, in the form of gender. The supporters of these theories are for the most part trying to bring a new form of awareness to the way crime is viewed. Instead of focusing on criminals who are male performing crimes against other males, it is argued that criminologists need to investigate more how the female affects this preconceived approach to crime. Many parties concerned with this type of critical approach to criminology also try to educate other female criminologists. This is important to this group of individuals because too many times, female criminologists will adopt the male perspective and perpetuate the same cycle of applying male concepts on females in the world of crime.
While there are other theories that are applicable in the field of criminology, such as postmodern and peacemaking theories, the conflict and feminist theories are the most prevalent ones within the world of criminology at large. By looking at the way that different theories can be applied to criminology and the different areas that fall under the term, individuals are able to learn more about the society in which they live. Another point that can be explored would be how the criminal relates to the society in which the crime is committed.
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